Mahabharata 7.21.1 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 1

द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping

Devanagari script

(दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठका १ श्लोक मिलाकर कुल ६४ “लोक हैं।) पम्प बछ। आर: एकविशो< ध्याय: द्रोणाचार्यके द्वारा सत्यजित

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | tato yudhiṣṭhiro droṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā antikam upāgatam | mahatā śaravarṣeṇa pratyagṛhṇād abhītavat ||

Translation

Dijo Sañjaya: Entonces Yudhiṣṭhira, al ver que Droṇa se acercaba, lo recibió con una gran lluvia de flechas, como si no sintiera temor.

Word by Word

• संजयः: Sanjaya
• संजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्रोणम्: Drona
• द्रोणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada-usage

• अन्तिकम्: near, proximity
• अन्तिकम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तिक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उपागतम्: come near, approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-गम्
• Form: Past Passive Participle, Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महता: with great
• महता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• शरवर्षेण: by a rain of arrows
• शरवर्षेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर-वर्ष
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रत्यगृह्णात्: checked, held back, repelled
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-ग्रह्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अभीतवत्: as if fearless / fearlessly
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभीतवत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Droṇa
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds steadfastness in one’s duty under pressure: Yudhiṣṭhira does not collapse into fear before a superior and revered opponent, but responds with controlled martial action, embodying kṣatriya resolve amid ethical tension.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa advances close toward Yudhiṣṭhira in battle; Yudhiṣṭhira counters by unleashing a heavy volley of arrows, meeting the approach head-on rather than retreating.